Methods and systems for gathering research data are disclosed.
There is considerable interest in identifying and/or measuring the receipt of, and or exposure to, audio data by an audience for use by advertisers, media outlets and others.
The emergence of multiple, overlapping media distribution pathways, as well as the wide variety of available user systems (e.g. PC's, PDA's, portable CD players, Internet, cellular telephones, appliances, TV, radio, etc.) for receiving audio data, has greatly complicated the task of measuring audience receipt of, and exposure to, individual program segments. The development of commercially viable techniques for encoding audio data with program identification data provides a crucial tool for measuring audio data receipt and exposure across multiple media distribution pathways and user systems.
One such technique involves adding an ancillary code to the audio data that uniquely identifies the program signal. Most notable among these techniques is the PPM methodology developed by Arbitron Inc., which is already providing useful audience estimates to numerous media distributors and advertisers.
An alternative technique for identifying program signals is extraction and subsequent matching of “signatures” of the program signals. Such techniques typically involve the use of a reference signature database, which contains a reference signature for each program signal the receipt of which, and exposure to which, is to be measured. Before the program signal is broadcast, these reference signatures are created by measuring the values of certain features of the program signal and creating a feature set or “signature” from these values, commonly termed “signature extraction”, which is then stored in the database. Later, when the program signal is broadcast, signature extraction is again performed, and the signature obtained is compared to the reference signatures in the database until a match is found and the program signal is thereby identified.
Past designs of audience measurements systems, like that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,294 to Thomas et al., have comprised separate metering apparatuses comprising their own distinct code reading and signature extraction capability. Information obtained by each apparatus is then communicated to a central site for processing to produce audience measurement reports. These reports, based on the information obtained, provide data reflecting program exposure.
In obtaining information used in the generation of its reports, the above system is substantially reliant on low levels of background noise and hardwired connections to televisions and radios.
Such constraints make use of the above system(s) impractical when unfettered portability of the metering apparatuses is desirable. Such portability thereof may be desirable in any given number of situations when, for example, connection to a device reproducing media, such as a television or radio, is not feasible, especially where it is desired to monitor out-of-home media exposure.
In a system like that shown in Thomas et al., the process of audience measurement is overly complicated by virtue of the use of multiple metering apparatuses. Because of such use, an excessive amount of power is consumed, so that the system is inefficient. It is particularly ill-suited for use in a portable metering device that must rely on an internal power source, such as a battery.
In systems where audience measurement is an additional function of a device (such as a PDA or cellular telephone), it would be particularly advantageous to provide such functionality in the most efficient manner. To this end, it would be advantageous to minimize usage for this purpose of the processing power and working memory of the device to avoid slowing or otherwise interfering with additional capabilities offered by devices not dedicated to the task of audience measurement. Additionally, whether a portable metering device is or is not dedicated to the task of audience measurement, the power supply thereof, typically a battery, can be exhausted prematurely where excessive power is required to implement this function. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide the above-mentioned media monitoring capabilities while minimizing occurrence of the disadvantages discussed.
It would be advantageous to provide methods and systems for the gathering of data concerning the usage of media data that enable an audience member to undertake such activity no matter the situation or location in which media data is available.
It would also be advantageous to provide such methods and systems which gather such data that are useful for determining exposure both to encoded and unencoded media, whether in-home or out-of-home, and which provide the ability to employ portable monitors that are small and unobtrusive and have low power requirements.
It would further be advantageous to provide such methods and systems which gather such data by decoding ancillary codes and extracting signatures in an efficient manner reducing power and processing requirements.